Closure device



May 28, 1968 J. D. MALIFF 3,385,425

CLOSURE DEVICE Filed July 19, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Jfi/l/V 0. MAL/FF BY 2? a J. D. MALIFF CLOSURE DEVICE May 28, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19, 1966 United States Patent 3,385,425 CLOSURE DEVICE .iohn D. Malifi, Dorchester, Mass, assignor to The Giilette Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 19, 1966, Ser. No. 566,406 Claims. (Cl. 206-4531) This invention relates to package closures and more particularly to a closure device for an open case having an unattached cover.

It has been proposed to provide an open two-part case with a transparent unattached disposable cover so that the articles in the case are fully displayed to view through the unobstructed top surface of the cover. The ultimate consumer removes the cover for access to the articles therein and subsequently may use the case as a handy compact travel case.

However, in order to merchandise Such a covered open case it is desirable to secure the cover and case together for shipment and display without marring or soiling any of the surfaces of the case and yet leave the top face of the transparent cover unobstructed.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a closure device for an open case having an unattached disposable transparent cover, which device will keep the cover securely in place without obstructing the s top face of the cover.

A further object is to provide a closure device for an open case having an unattached cover, which device is secured solely to the cover so as to avoid marring or soiling of any surface portion of the case.

A still further object is to provide a closure device for an open case having an unattached cover, which closure device is secured to the cover and is provided with a tear strip which separates the device into two parts to permit removal of the cover from the case.

The foregoing objects as well as others which will be apparent from the drawings and from the following description, are accomplished by providing a closure device which comprises an integral blank of sheet material fashioned to include a panel for underlying and supporting the open case and provided with flanges adhesively secured to opposite upstanding walls of the cover when the cover is in position on the open case, which device may incorporate a connecting tear-off strip.

The foregoing objects and features will be better understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which- FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an opened case for which the present invention is particularly well adapted;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the sheet material closure device;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective on a smaller scale of the opened case and its unattached cover secured together by the closure device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the transparent cover and the closure device; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the cover in position on a wall of the case illustrating the manner in which they interlock.

The present invention solves in a neat and inexpensive manner the problem of securely holding a two-part hinged case such as that shown in FIG. 1 in wide open condition, with its contents fully displayed to view within an unobstructed transparent unattached cover and at the same time providing means for instantly freeing the case from its enclosure when that is desired. The hinged case and cover therefor may suitably be in the form disclosed in 3,385,425 Patented May 28, 1968 application Serial No. 496,784 filed by Alan B. Lowry on October 18, 1965.

The case as shown in FIG. 1 comprises rectangular trays 10 and 11 hinged together such as by tape hinges 12 connecting the adjacent longitudinal walls whereby the tray 10 may be superimposed on the tray 11 to form a compact travel case. The tray 11 is shown as containing a safety razor 13 while the tray 10 has space for a blade cartridge and printed material. The tray 11 is provided with forked end walls 14 to receive the handle of the razor and the other end of the tray is shaped to receive the head of the razor. An upright stop 17 is provided in the base of tray 10 which holds the razor in place when this tray is superimposed on tray 11. The front wall 18 of the tray 11 is provided with a rectangular recess 15 adapted to receive a latch 16 on a plate 16a which projects from the front wall 19 of the tray 10 and which serves to latch the two trays together when the case is closed.

The cover member 27 comprises a transparent rectangular panel 20 corresponding in size to the contour of the opened case and has a narrow side wall 21, a wide side wall 23 and narrow end walls 26. The wide Wall 23 of the cover extends over the entire outside surface of the rear wall 19 of the tray 10, and the narrow side wall 21 and end walls 26 thereof register with the corresponding walls of the two trays. The narrow side wall 21 has a latch plate 22 provided with a projecting latch 22a which is positioned so as to extend into the recess 15 of the tray 11 when the cover 27 is in position on the opened case, and the wide side wall 23 has a rectangular window 24 arranged to accommodate the latch plate 16a of the tray 10. The edges of the side walls of both trays and the front wall 18 of the tray 11 and the edges of the end walls 26 and the narrow wall 21 0f the cover are provided with interfitting tongues and grooves as shown in FIG. 5.

The closure device 36 comprises an integral blank of sheet material such as cardboard and as shown in FIG. 2 includes a rectangular base panel 30 which conforms in size and shape to the contour of the opened case. The panel 30 merges at one end into a hang-up flap 31 and has a hinged flange 32 which corresponds in size to that of the wide wall 23 of the cover 27. At the other side the blank is provided with a flap 33 which incorporates a connecting tear strip 34a provided with a gripping tab 34 and defined between perforations 34b extending through the entire length of the flap. A tongue 35 cut in the panel 30 is so located as to engage the edge of the hang-up flap 31 when the latter is folded inwardly beneath the panel 30 in the finished package. An aperture 37 is provided in the hangup flap 31 to permit the entire package to be suspended from a hook of a suitable display stand (not shown). The flange 32 and the flap 33 may suitably be provided with adhesive in the locations indicated by stippling.

In forming the package the case with the cover 27 in place as shown in FIG. 3 is placed upon the panel 30 of the closure device and the hinged flange 32 of the blank is folded upwardly about its lower edge and adhesively secured to the outer surface of the wide wall 23 of the transparent cover 27 except in the area where the flange overlies the window 24 to avoid any adhesion to the outer surface of the latch plate 16a. It will be seen that the flange 32 completely masks the window 24 in the wall 23. The flap 33 of the blank is then folded upwardly and adhesively secured to the outer surface of the narrow side wall 21 of the cover 27 as shown in FIG. 3 while avoiding any adhesion to the wall 18 of the tray 11. The tear-strip 34a thus connects the attached flap 33 and the edge of the underlying panel 30. It will be apparent that the transparent panel 20 together with the underlying panel 30, the hinged flange 32 and the flap 33 constitute together a binder completely surrounding the opened case. It should be noted that the resulting binder is not adhered at any point to the case; thus, it will not, upon being removed, leave residual adhesive on the case.

If the package thus produced is to be hung up for display the hang-up flap 31 is released from the tongue 35 as shown in FIG. 3. The binding effect of the closure device may be readily broken by gripping the tab 34 and removing the scored tear-strip 34a. The latch 22a of the transparent cover may now be released from its engagement with the case to free the latter.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail an illustrative embodiment thereof; I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A closure device for an open top case having an unattached cover superimposed thereon comprising an integral blank of sheet material including a panel for underlying the case and having a hinged side flange for attachment to one side wall of the cover, and a flap having a scored tear strip thereacross, a portion of the flap outside the tear strip being adapted to be secured to the opposite side wall of the cover.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, further characterized in that the underlying panel has a hang-up flap initially folded and includes means for releasably retaining it in folded position.

3. A wrapping and closure device as defined in claim 1, further characterized in that the transparent cover together with the underlying panel, the hinged flange and the flap of the closure device constitute together a binder completely surrounding the open case.

4. A closure device for an open hinged two part case with an unattached cover superimposed thereon, comprising a panel for underlying the opened case and extending across the hinged sides thereof, flanges integral with said panel for attachment to opposite side walls of said cover so as to form with said cover a binder completely surrounding said open case.

5. A closure device for a convertible display case comprising rectangular tray and cover sections hinged together and a transparent unattached cover superimposed on the case in open condition, said cover having a wall extending over the front face of the cover section, latching means projecting from the front face of the cover section, a window in said wall of said cover for receiving said latching means, said cover having walls abutting the walls of said tray and cover section except the front wall of said cover section, means for releasably latching said cover to the front wall of said tray, said closure device comprising a panel underlying the bottom surfaces of said tray and cover section, a flange secured to the surface only of said wall of said cover extending over the front face of said cover section, a flap secured to the front face of the wall of said cover abutting the front wall of said tray, and a removable tear strip extending across said flap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,254,759 6/1966 Britton 20645.3l

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CLOSURE DEVICE FOR AN OPEN TOP CASE HAVING AN UNATTACHED COVER SUPERIMPOSED THEREON COMPRISING AN INTEGRAL BLANK OF SHEET MATERIAL INCLUDING A PANEL FOR UNDERLYING THE CASE AND HAVING A HINGED SIDE FLANGE FOR ATTACHMENT TO ONE SIDE WALL OF THE COVER, AND A FLAP HAVING A SCORED TEAR STRIP THEREACROSS, A PORTION OF THE FLAP OUTSIDE THE TEAR STRIP BEING ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE WALL OF THE COVER. 